Dallas' Nash Being Handled With Care

JAIME ARON

Published 9:00 pm, Thursday, April 18, 2002

AP Sports Writer

Playing every regular season game for the first time in his career has taken its toll on Steve Nash.

Dallas' All-Star point guard has fought the flu, a stomach virus and a sore back in recent weeks. Factor in the aches and pains that come from playing 82 games _ especially at the pace that helped the Mavericks average a league-best 110.9 points _ and it's understandable that he's being handled with care in preparation for the playoff opener Sunday against Minnesota.

Nash was held out of practice Friday and received intravenous fluids, one day after receiving two vitamin injections. He's confident he'll be ready Sunday, figuring adrenaline will help overcome any lingering fatigue.

"I'm pretty much being treated almost all day long," he said. "I've been working with doctors and chiropractors and trainers just making sure I'm getting loose and flexibility and have my range of motion back. That's where I've really been constricted from the pounding. The end of the year, I was pretty stiff and not very mobile."

Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs' other All-Star, practiced Friday and said his sprained left ankle will be fine by tipoff time. He missed four games with the injury, then returned for the last two of the regular season.

The Timberwolves are pretty healthy, but are missing one key player. Point guard Terrell Brandon, who would have lined up against Nash, had season-ending leg surgery in February.

Nash is a drive-and-dish specialist who excels at spinning in layups with either hand and hitting outside jumpers. He averages 17.9 points, 7.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds.

Nash was the only Dallas player who appeared in every game this season, starting all 82 and averaging a career-high 34.6 minutes. In his previous five seasons, he topped out at 76 games and 70 starts. Although Nash's load was eased a bit when Nick Van Exel arrived in a trade from Denver in late February, coach Don Nelson often used the two together, especially in the fourth quarter.

"Steve's always there when we need him," Nowitzki said.

Nash's current two-day layoff is practically a vacation, considering Dallas closed the season with nine games in 14 days, including two sets of back-to-back games.

"Looking back, maybe I would've been better if I didn't play all 82," Nash said. "But it's one of those situations where I was never in too much pain to play. You never want to sit out when you feel that way."